Automotive manufacturing is often a complex process involving numerous assembly steps involving detailed parts and using both machinery and human assemblers. As such, assembly techniques are preferably simple and robust to reduce the stresses and tolerances on human assemblers, machines, and even designers. Regions of the automobile, such as the door panels are particularly part intensive. Therefore, these regions would benefit greatly from improved assembly design and techniques. A staple of assembly is the design of fastener assemblies.
A common technique for assembly involves the use of pin assemblies that may be inserted into ports on the stamped door panel to quickly and efficiently attach various parts thereto. It is common for such pin assemblies to be mounted to a substrate prior to insertion into the stamped door panel. Molding the pin assemblies directly onto the substrate results in an inflexible design that is difficult to adjust to changes in tolerance. Instead, the pin assemblies are mounted to molded structures on the substrate prior to assembly. The difficulty with existing mounting techniques involves their use of interference fit to secure the pin assemblies to the substrate. Present technique is to secure the pin assemblies through the use of frictional press-fit slots utilizing bumps or ramps. Bumps and ramps utilized tend to interfere with machining gages, which can incur undesirable manufacturing costs. In addition, interference fit assemblies may provide difficulties in confidently guaranteeing the pin assemblies are properly secured.
Automotive components require fastening techniques, which are simple to manufacture and assemble. The fastening technique should above all be reliable and efficient. It would therefore be highly desirable to have an automotive fastener assembly with improved assembly characteristics. It would further be highly desirable to have an automotive fastener assembly that provided reliable and secure fastening.